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The researchers, from Oxford University, Harvard School of Public Health in the US and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, found that people who ate spicy food every one or two days were 14 per cent less likely to die than those who ate it less than once a week.

Frequent consumption of spicy foods was particularly linked to a lower risk of death from cancer, heart disease and breathing problems.

The authors stressed that because they had only looked at broad statistical trends, and not at the exact role spice had played in each case, they could draw no concrete conclusions about cause and effect.

But they cited previous research which has linked capsaicin to resistance to obesity, cancer and other diseases.

Experts last night welcomed the findings — but stressed that they should be treated with caution.

They pointed out that Chinese people have a different diet and lifestyle to those in the West.

Professor Kevin McConway of the Open University, said: ‘It’s important to realise that the study gives very little encouragement for the stereotypical English pastime of going out for several pints of beer and a hot curry.

‘The relationship between eating spicy food and a lower death rate was apparent really only in people who didn’t drink alcohol at all.’